How deep is the water table in California?

The resource amounts to 2,700 billion tons of freshwater, mostly less than about 3,250 feet deep, according to the paper published Monday in the influential Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

How deep is groundwater in California?

Based on our analysis, the volume of fresh (defined in California as TDS < 3,000 ppm) groundwater in the Central Valley almost triples from 1,020 to 2,700 km3 when we scale groundwater volumes to depths of up to 3,000 m, with 59% of the additional volume found between 305 and 1,000 m (Fig.

How deep is the average water table?

The water table is commonly within 10 to 30 feet of the land surface and mimics surface topography, except in high bluffs along deeply incised valleys where the water table can be up to 120-feet below the surface.

How deep are California’s aquifers?

Well depths in the Central Valley aquifer system are determined by the depth of permeable aquifer material and by the quality of the ground water. In general, wells are usually less than 500 feet deep in the Sacramento Valley but are as deep as 3,500 feet in the San Joaquin Valley.

Where is most groundwater in California?

Central Valley
The most prodigious of the state’s groundwater basins are found in the Central Valley where a structural trough forms an aquifer system extending from north of Red Bluff to south of Bakersfield, about 400 miles long and from 20 to 70 miles wide.

Can I drill a water well on my property in California?

Water Wells (Domestic/Irrigation) If you are planning on building a home in a rural location with no access to public drinking water, you will have to drill a well on your property. Water well permits may only be applied for by a licensed well driller (see the following procedure).

Where is the most groundwater in California?

Nearly three-quarters of the state’s groundwater pumping occurs in the Central Valley, with the Tulare Lake region being the largest user of groundwater. The state’s groundwater storage capacity is more than 10 times that of all its surface reservoirs, although not all that water is accessible or of acceptable quality.

How deep on average do you find groundwater?

Groundwater may be near the Earth’s surface or as deep as 30,000 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

How much time is left in the California aquifer?

It will take at least 50 years for the Central Valley’s aquifers to naturally refill, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But that’s only if everyone stopped pumping groundwater immediately.

Can you dig a shallow well in California?

As many as two million water wells tap California’s groundwater, with approximately 7,000 to 15,000 new wells constructed each year. They range from hand-dug, shallow wells to carefully designed large -production wells drilled to great depths.

How much does it cost to dig a well in California?

Drilling a residential water well costs $25 to $65 per foot or $3,750 to $15,300 on average for a complete system and installation. Prices include the drilling, a pump, casing, wiring, and more. Total costs largely depend on the depth drilled and the well’s diameter.